Syrian crisis likely to become a regional conflict: UN chief

The crisis in Syria has dramatically worsened and is threatening to engulf neighbouring countries and the entire region, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has warned.

Mr Ban said the escalation of hostilities along the Turkish Syrian border and the impact of the crisis on Lebanon had shaken stability in the region.

Speaking at the opening of the World Forum for Democracy in Strasbourg, France, Mr Ban said the government and opposition groups must renounce violence and embrace dialogue for the sake of the Syrian population.

The Secretary-General said the Syrian crisis is a regional calamity with global ramifications and called for an end to the supply of arms to government and opposition forces.

"Militarization only aggravates the situation and puts the Syrian people into more misery. I am calling on all concerned to abandon the use of violence and move towards a political solution. That is the only way out of this crisis. Syria shows how the current transitions that have inspired so much hope and change have also brought uncertainty and fear. I remain convinced that we must seek a political solution to this conflict in Syria."